1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season

1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Owner	Art Rooney
Head coach	Chuck Noll
Home field	Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record	11–3
Division place	1st AFC Central
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 13–7 Lost AFC Championship (Dolphins) 21–17
Pro Bowlers	6 LB Henry Davis PK Roy Gerela DT Joe Greene RB Franco Harris LB Andy Russell DE Dwight White
AP All-Pros	4 Joe Greene (1st team) Roy Gerela (2nd team) Franco Harris (2nd team) Andy Russell (2nd team)
Team MVP	Franco Harris

The 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 40th in the National Football League.

The team posted a record of 11–3 in 1972, and won their first-ever AFC Central Division title. It was the team's third-ever postseason appearance, its first postseason appearance in ten seasons (the Playoff Bowl for third place in the league), and only its second playoff game since 1947. This season is famous for the Immaculate Reception, where the Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders in the playoffs 13-7 on a last second touchdown by Franco Harris.

The rebuilding of the franchise that began in 1969 with the hiring of Chuck Noll finally came to fruition in his fourth year. After winning only one game in his first year in 1969 the team that showed steady improvement broke through in 1972 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1947. The division title was the first in team history, as was the appearance in the AFC Championship game which they lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins 21-17. It was the first of 8 straight playoff appearances for the Steelers that led to 4 Super Bowl Championships.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1972 Pittsburgh Steelers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	13	Franco Harris * †	RB	Penn State
2	38	Gordon Gravelle	OT	BYU
3	63	John McMakin	TE	Clemson
4	80	Lorenzo Brinkley	DB	Missouri
4	88	Ed Bradley	LB	Wake Forest
5	113	Steve Furness	DE	Rhode Island
6	143	Dennis Meyer	DB	Arkansas State
7	159	Joe Colquitt	DE	Kansas State
7	168	Robert Kelly	DB	Jackson State
8	193	Stahle Vincent	RB	Rice
9	217	Don Kelley	DB	Clemson
10	243	Bob Brown	DT	Tampa
11	273	Joe Gilliam	QB	Tennessee State
12	298	Ron Curl	OT	Michigan State
13	323	Ernie Messmer	OT	Villanova
14	348	Tommy Durrance	RB	Florida
15	368	John Hulecki	OG	UMass
15	373	Charles Harrington	OG	Witchita State
16	403	Nate Hawkins	WR	UNLV
17	428	Ron Linehan	LB	Idaho
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Roster

1972 Pittsburgh Steelers roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 12 Terry Bradshaw QB 17 Joe Gilliam QB 5 Terry Hanratty QB Running backs (RB) 46 Warren Bankston RB 20 Rocky Bleier RB 35 Steve Davis RB 33 John Fuqua RB 32 Franco Harris RB 26 Preston Pearson RB Wide receivers (WR) 43 Frank Lewis WR 25 Ron Shanklin WR 88 Dave L. Smith WR 31 Al Young WR Tight ends (TE) 85 Bob Adams TE 87 Larry Brown TE 89 John McMakin TE

Offensive linemen (OL) 50 Jim Clack G 85 Dave Davis G 57 Sam Davis G (C) 71 Gordon Gravelle T 77 Mel Holmes G 55 Jon Kolb T 56 Ray Mansfield C 72 Gerry Mullins G 66 Bruce Van Dyke G Defensive linemen (DL) 64 Steve Furness DT 75 Joe Greene DT 68 L.C. Greenwood DE 67 Craig Hanneman DE 63 Ernie Holmes DT 60 Ben McGee DT 78 Dwight White DE

Linebackers (LB) 38 Ed Bradley LB 53 Henry Davis LB 59 Jack Ham LB 34 Andy Russell LB (C) 61 Brian Stenger LB 90 George Webster LB 36 Chuck Winfrey LB Defensive backs (DB) 49 Ralph Anderson FS 37 Chuck Beatty DB 47 Mel Blount CB 44 Lee Calland DB 29 John Dockery DB 27 Glen Edwards FS 48 John Rowser CB 24 J.T. Thomas CB 23 Mike Wagner FS Special teams 10 Roy Gerela K 39 Bobby Walden P 55 Jon Kolb LS 39 Bobby Walden H

Rookies in italics

Depth chart

Defense 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers roster
FS 49 Ralph Anderson 27 Glen Edwards ⋅		WLB MLB SLB ⋅ 53 Henry Davis ⋅ 36 Chuck Winfrey 38 Ed Bradley ⋅ 61 Brian Stenger ⋅ ⋅					SS 23 Mike Wagner 37 Chuck Beatty ⋅
CB 48 John Rowser 29 John Dockery ⋅		DE DT DT DE 78 Dwight White 60 Ben McGee 75 Joe Greene 68 L.C. Greenwood 67 Craig Hanneman 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅						CB 47 Mel Blount 44 Lee Calland ⋅
Offense 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers roster
WR 43 Frank Lewis 31 Al Young ⋅		LT LG C RG RT 55 Jon Kolb 57 Sam Davis 56 Ray Mansfield 66 Bruce Van Dyke 72 Gerry Mullins 71 Gordon Gravelle ⋅ 50 Jim Clack 77 Mel Holmes 74 John Brown IR ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅					TE 89 John McMakin 87 Larry Brown 85 Bob Adams IR	WR 25 Ron Shanklin 88 Dave L. Smith ⋅
				QB 12 Terry Bradshaw 5 Terry Hanratty 17 Joe Gilliam
		RB 33 John Fuqua 20 Rocky Bleier 35 Steve Davis			FB 32 Franco Harris 26 Preston Pearson 46 Warren Bankston		Special teams PK 10 Roy Gerela P 39 Bobby Walden KR 26 Preston Pearson PR 27 Glen Edwards LS 55 Jon Kolb H 39 Bobby Walden

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result
1	September 17, 1972	Oakland Raiders	W 34–28
2	September 24, 1972	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 15–10
3	October 1, 1972	at St. Louis Cardinals	W 25–19
4	October 8, 1972	at Dallas Cowboys	L 17–13
5	October 15, 1972	Houston Oilers	W 24–7
6	October 22, 1972	New England Patriots	W 33–3
7	October 29, 1972	at Buffalo Bills	W 38–21
8	November 5, 1972	Cincinnati Bengals	W 40–17
9	November 12, 1972	Kansas City Chiefs	W 16–7
10	November 19, 1972	at Cleveland Browns	L 26–24
11	November 26, 1972	Minnesota Vikings	W 23–10
12	December 3, 1972	Cleveland Browns	W 30–0
13	December 10, 1972	at Houston Oilers	W 9–3
14	December 17, 1972	at San Diego Chargers	W 24–2

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders

See also: 1972 Oakland Raiders season

1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 0 7 0 21 28 • Steelers 14 3 10 7 34 Date: Sunday, September 17 Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Game start: 1:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 51,141 Game weather: 72 F, wind 13 mph Referee: Pat Haggerty References: [1]

Scoring summary 1 PIT Henry Davis 5-yard blocked punt return (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 7–0 1 PIT Terry Bradshaw 20-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 14–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 48-yard field goal PIT 17–0 2 OAK Raymond Chester 26-yard pass from George Blanda (George Blanda kick) PIT 17–7 3 PIT Roy Gerela 8-yard field goal PIT 20–7 3 PIT Terry Bradshaw 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 27–7 4 OAK Mike Siani 24-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick) PIT 27–14 4 PIT Ron Shanklin 57-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 34–14 4 OAK Don Highsmith 1-yard run (George Blanda kick) PIT 34–21 4 OAK Mike Siani 70-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick) PIT 34–28

The Steelers were able to start off against the Raiders at home scoring 17 unanswered points (2TDs/PATs and a FG) and eventually ended up defeating the team by 6 for a 34–28 victory and a 1–0 start.

Week 2: at Cincinnati Bengals

See also: 1972 Cincinnati Bengals season

1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 0 10 0 0 10 • Bengals 3 0 6 6 15 Date: Sunday, September 24 Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati Game start: 1:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 54,292 Game weather: 69 F, wind 9 mph Referee: Dick Jorgensen References: [2]

Scoring summary 1 CIN Horst Muhlmann 41-yard field goal CIN 3–0 2 PIT Terry Bradshaw 12-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 7–3 2 PIT Roy Gerela 17-yard field goal PIT 10–3 3 CIN Horst Muhlmann 32-yard field goal PIT 10–6 3 CIN Horst Muhlmann 20-yard field goal PIT 10–9 4 CIN Horst Muhlmann 32-yard field goal CIN 12–10 4 CIN Horst Muhlmann 34-yard field goal CIN 15–10

Week 3: at St. Louis Cardinals

See also: 1972 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 3 12 0 10 25 Cardinals 0 6 6 7 19 Date: Sunday, October 1 Location: Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri Game start: 1:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 49,140 Game weather: 58 F, wind 10 mph Referee: Fred Wyant References: [3]

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 17-yard field goal PIT 3–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 20-yard field goal PIT 6–0 2 STL Jim Bakken 19-yard field goal PIT 6–3 2 PIT Terry Bradshaw 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 13–3 2 PIT Safety, Donny Anderson tackled by Ralph Anderson in end zone PIT 15–3 2 STL Jim Bakken 44-yard field goal PIT 15–6 3 STL Donny Anderson 8-yard run (kick failed) PIT 15–12 3 PIT Roy Gerela 15-yard field goal PIT 18–12 4 STL Norm Thompson 8-yard blocked punt return (Jim Bakken kick) STL 19–18 4 PIT Frank Lewis 38-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 25–19

Week 4: at Dallas Cowboys

See also: 1972 Dallas Cowboys season

1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 6 7 0 0 13 • Cowboys 3 7 7 0 17 Date: Sunday, October 8 Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas Game start: 1:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 65,682 Game weather: 68 F, wind 8 mph Referee: Ben Dreith References: [4]

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 39-yard field goal PIT 3–0 1 DAL Toni Fritsch 40-yard field goal Tied 3–3 1 PIT Roy Gerela 39-yard field goal PIT 6–3 2 PIT Mel Blount 35-yard fumble return (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 13–3 2 DAL Calvin Hill 1-yard run (Toni Fritsch kick) PIT 13–10 3 DAL Ron Sellers 55-yard pass from Calvin Hill (Toni Fritsch kick) DAL 17–13

Week 5: vs. Houston Oilers

See also: 1972 Houston Oilers season

1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 7 0 0 0 7 • Steelers 0 10 7 7 24 Date: Sunday, October 15 Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Game start: 4:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 42,929 Game weather: 47 F, wind 14 mph Referee: Bernie Ulman References:[5]

Scoring summary 1 HOU Ward Walsh recovered blocked punt in end zone (Skip Butler kick) HOU 7–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 28-yard field goal HOU 7–3 2 PIT Franco Harris 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 10–7 3 PIT Frank Lewis 11-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 17–7 4 PIT Terry Bradshaw 8-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 24–7

Week 6: vs. New England Patriots

See also: 1972 New England Patriots season

1 2 3 4 Total Patriots 0 0 3 0 3 • Steelers 10 7 13 3 33 Date: Sunday, October 22 Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Game start: 1:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 46,081 Game weather: 52 F, wind 9 mph Referee: Norm Schachter References: [6]

Scoring summary 1 PIT Roy Gerela 19-yard field goal PIT 3–0 1 PIT Jack Ham 32-yard interception return (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 10–0 2 PIT Ron Shanklin 30-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 17–0 3 PIT Roy Gerela 22-yard field goal PIT 20–0 3 NE Charlie Gogolak 16-yard field goal PIT 20–3 3 PIT Steve Davis 28-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 27–3 3 PIT Roy Gerela 35-yard field goal PIT 30–3 4 PIT Roy Gerela 33-yard field goal PIT 33–3

Week 7: at Buffalo Bills

See also: 1972 Buffalo Bills season

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 0 17 7 14 38 Bills 0 0 7 14 21 Date: Sunday, October 29 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York Game start: 1:00 p.m. local Game attendance: 45,882 Game weather: 47 F, wind 10 mph Referee: Tommy Bell References: [7]

Scoring summary 2 PIT Franco Harris 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 7–0 2 PIT Terry Bradshaw 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 14–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 29-yard field goal PIT 17–0 3 PIT O.J. Simpson 94-yard run (John Leypoldt kick) PIT 17–7 3 PIT Franco Harris 18-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 24–7 4 BUF Bob Chandler 11-yard pass from Dennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick) PIT 24–14 4 PIT Franco Harris 17-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 31–14 4 PIT Bob Chandler 4-yard pass from Dennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick) PIT 31–21 4 PIT John Fuqua 4-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 38–21

Week 8: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 0 14 3 17 • Steelers 10 16 7 7 40 Date: Sunday, November 5 Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Game attendance: 50,350 Referee: Fred Silva

Scoring summary 1 PIT John Fuqua 7-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 7–0 1 PIT Roy Gerela 15-yard field goal PIT 10–0 2 PIT Roy Gerela 22-yard field goal PIT 13–0 2 PIT Frank Lewis 28-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed) PIT 19–0 2 PIT Larry Brown 13-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 26–0 3 CIN Virgil Carter 1-yard run (Horst Muhlmann kick) PIT 26–7 3 PIT Frank Lewis 34-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 33–7 3 CIN Chip Myers 2-yard pass from Virgil Carter (Horst Muhlmann kick) PIT 33–14 4 PIT Franco Harris 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 40–14 4 CIN Horst Muhlmann 37-yard field goal PIT 40–17

Week 9: Kansas City Chiefs

1 2 3 4 Total Chiefs 0 7 0 0 7 • Steelers 0 0 3 13 16 Date: November 12 Location: Three Rivers Stadium Game attendance: 54,476 Referee: Jim Tunney

Scoring Drives:

• Kansas City – Kearney 65 interception return (Stenerud kick) – Chiefs 7–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 25 – Chiefs 7–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 10 – Chiefs 7–6
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 49 – Steelers 9–7
• Pittsburgh – Harris 7 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 16–7

Week 10: Cleveland Browns

1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 3 7 7 7 24 • Browns 10 10 3 3 26 Date: November 19 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium Game weather: 83,009 Referee: Dick Jorgensen

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 39 – Steelers 3–0
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 26 – Tie 3–3
• Cleveland – Phipps 1 run (Cockroft kick) – Browns 10–3
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 38 – Browns 13–3
• Cleveland – Pitts 17 pass from Phipps (Cockroft kick) – Browns 20–3
• Pittsburgh – Mullins 3 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Browns 20–10
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 12 – Browns 23–10
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 1 run (Gerela kick) – Browns 23–17
• Pittsburgh – Harris 75 run (Gerela kick)- Steelers 24–23
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 26 – Browns 26–24

Week 11: Minnesota Vikings

1 2 3 4 Total Vikings 3 0 0 7 10 • Steelers 7 0 3 13 23 Date: November 26 Location: Three Rivers Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 50,348 TV announcers (CBS Control): Jack Drees; George Connor and Andy Musser

Scoring Drives:

• Minnesota – FG Cox 24 – Vikings 3–0
• Pittsburgh – Harris 12 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 7–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 17 – Steelers 10–3
• Minnesota – Voigt 5 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) – Tie 10–10
• Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (kick blocked) – Steelers 16–10
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 17 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Steelers 23–10

Week 12: Cleveland Browns

1 2 3 4 Total Browns 0 0 0 0 0 • Steelers 3 7 7 13 30 Date: December 3 Location: Three Rivers Stadium Game attendance: 50,350 Referee: Tommy Bell

Franco Harris breaks Jim Brown's record for consecutive 100 yd games.

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 19 – Steelers 3–0
• Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 10–0
• Pittsburgh – Harris 11 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 17–0
• Pittsburgh – McMakin 78 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Steelers 24–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 44 – Steelers 27–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 37 – Steelers 30–0

Week 13: Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 3 0 6 0 9 Oilers 0 3 0 0 3 Date: December 10 Location: Houston Astrodome Game attendance: 36,528 Referee: John McDonough

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 24 – Steelers 3–0
• Houston – FG Butler 34 – Tie 3–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 39 – Steelers 6–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 13 – Steelers 9–3

Week 14: San Diego Chargers

1 2 3 4 Total • Steelers 7 7 3 7 24 Chargers 2 0 0 0 2 Date: December 17 Location: San Diego Stadium Referee: Pat Haggerty

The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched their first AFC Central Division title (the day before the game Frank Sinatra is inducted into Franco's Italian Army).

Scoring Drives:

• San Diego – Safety, Costa tackled Bradshaw in end zone – Chargers 2–0
• Pittsburgh – Harris 2 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 7–2
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 2 run (Gerela kick) – Steelers 14–2
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 24 – Steelers 17–2
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 17 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) – Steelers 24–2

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Pittsburgh Steelers	11	3	0	.786	4–2	9–2	343	175	W4
Cleveland Browns	10	4	0	.714	5–1	9–2	268	249	W2
Cincinnati Bengals	8	6	0	.571	3–3	6–5	299	229	W1
Houston Oilers	1	13	0	.071	0–6	1–10	164	380	L11

Postseason

Game summaries

Divisional: vs. Oakland Raiders

1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 0 0 0 7 7 • Steelers 0 0 3 10 13 Date: Saturday, December 23 Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Game attendance: 50,350 Referee: Fred Swearingen TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy

Scoring summary 3 PIT Roy Gerela 18-yard field goal PIT 3–0 4 PIT Roy Gerela 29-yard field goal PIT 6–0 4 OAK Ken Stabler 30-yard run (George Blanda kick) OAK 7–6 4 PIT Franco Harris 60-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) PIT 13–7

Main article: The Immaculate Reception

See also: 1972 Oakland Raiders season

AFC Championship: vs. Miami Dolphins

1 2 3 4 Total • Dolphins 0 7 7 7 21 Steelers 7 0 3 7 17 Location: Three Rivers Stadium Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST Game attendance: 50,350 Game weather: Partly cloudy, 67 degrees Referee: Ben Dreith TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis

See also: 1972 Miami Dolphins season

• PIT – Mullins recovered fumble in end zone (Gerela kick) PIT 7–0
• MIA – Csonka 9 pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick) 7–7
• PIT – FG Gerela 14 PIT 10–7
• MIA – Kiick 2 run (Yepremian kick) MIA 14–10
• MIA – Kiick 3 run (Yepremian kick) MIA 21–10
• PIT – Young 12 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) MIA 21–17